What a sharp pain. Types and characteristics of pain. What types of pain can you treat yourself?

Pain is the human body’s response to illness or injury. Although pain is an unpleasant feeling, it plays an important role - it is a warning signal that all is not well with us. When we feel pain, we try to eliminate the factor that caused it.

Different people react to pain differently. Our experience of pain depends on the severity and extent of the injury, as well as on our psychophysiological pain perception status.

Did you know?

Pain should be treated even if it is the result of an illness. Timely use of painkillers helps speed up recovery.

What should everyone know about pain?

There are several types of pain. People describe their feelings in different ways. For example, sometimes there is a strong but short-term headache in the temple area. Also, as a result of the spasm, pain may occur in the abdominal area, but it is difficult to say where exactly it hurts. Injuries can cause pain in knee joints. And there are a lot of such descriptions of pain.

Where does the pain occur?

Somatic pain is pain that occurs in the skin (superficial), muscles, bones, joints or connective tissue (deep). Pain that occurs in the internal organs is called visceral.

How long does the pain last?

Pain that lasts a short period of time is classified as acute pain. In most cases it is caused by inflammation. When the inflammation is eliminated, the pain goes away. But when the pain continues for a long time, we talk about chronic pain.

What types of pain can you treat on your own?

You can independently relieve acute somatic pain, which manifests itself mildly or moderately. Choose the method that suits you best:

physical therapy or chiropractic
massage
acupuncture
stress management
medicines

You can try several various options pain relief in order to find one that completely satisfies you.

When should you see a doctor?

if the pain is very severe
If sharp pain lasts more than 10 days
if observed elevated temperature that lasts more than 3 days
if it is impossible to determine what is causing the pain or if the pain occurs in internal organs (visceral pain)

Why do you need to know about pain?

Controlling the intensity and nature of the pain will allow you to become more aware of it and thus help you avoid it. Your doctor will need as much information as possible about the nature of your pain in order to select the appropriate therapy for you. This is easier to achieve if you have Diary of Pain.

Why does pain occur?

There are several reasons that cause pain:

diseases, injuries, surgical interventions
pinched nerve
disruption of nerve integrity (injury or surgery)

Sometimes the cause of the pain is unknown.

Various impacts (for example, cuts, broken bones, etc.) lead to irritation pain receptors. From these receptors the impulse is transmitted along nerve fibers to the central nervous system. At this moment we feel pain.

At the same time, so-called local inflammatory factors are formed in the area of damage. These substances additionally irritate nociceptors. We say that the damaged area begins to cause us pain. Some factors (for example, prostaglandins) are also involved in pain and inflammation.

What medications should I choose to relieve pain?

Drugs that reduce pain are called analgesics. The term "analgesic" is of Greek origin and means "without pain."

There are several types of analgesics. At the same time, only those analgesics that are intended to treat mild to moderate pain can be used for self-medication. These medications rarely cause side effects or their side effects are minor.

For this purpose, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are most often used. This group medicines, which have analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects.

NSAIDs interfere with the synthesis of prostaglandins, mediators of inflammation, which can result in pain.

The KRKA company produces a drug that belongs to the NSAID group.

All people have felt pain at one time or another. The pain can range from mild to severe, appear once, be constant, or come and go periodically. There are many types of pain, and often pain is the first sign that something is wrong with the body.

Most often, doctors are consulted when acute pain or chronic pain occurs.

What is acute pain?

Acute pain begins suddenly and is usually described as sharp. It often serves as a warning about a disease or a possible threat to the body from external factors. Acute pain can be caused by many factors, such as:

Medical procedures and surgical intervention(without anesthesia);
Bone fractures;
Dental treatment;
Burns and cuts;
Childbirth in women;

Acute pain can be moderate and last literally seconds. But there is also severe acute pain that does not go away for weeks or even months. In most cases, acute pain is treated for no longer than six months. Typically, acute pain disappears when its main cause is eliminated - wounds are treated and injuries heal. But sometimes constant acute pain develops into chronic pain.

What is chronic pain?

Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than three months. It even happens that the wounds that caused the pain have already healed or other provoking factors have been eliminated, but the pain still does not disappear. Pain signals may remain active during nervous system over several weeks, months or even years. As a result, a person may experience pain-related physical and emotional conditions that prevent normal life. The physical consequences of pain are muscle tension, low mobility and physical activity, and decreased appetite. At the emotional level, depression, anger, anxiety, and fear of re-injury appear.

Common types of chronic pain are:

Headache;
Abdominal pain;
Back pain and in particular lower back pain;
Pain in the side;
Cancer pain;
Arthritis pain;
Neurogenic pain due to nerve damage;
Psychogenic pain (pain that is not associated with past diseases, injuries or any internal problems).

Chronic pain can begin after an injury or infection and for other reasons. But for some people, chronic pain is not associated with any injury or damage at all, and it is not always possible to explain why such chronic pain appears.

2. Doctors who treat pain

Depending on what and how it hurts, and what causes the pain, different specialists can diagnose and treat pain - neurologists, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, oncologists, therapists and other doctors of specialized specialties who will treat the cause of pain - a disease, one one of the symptoms of which is pain.

3. Diagnosis of pain

Exist various methods, helping to determine the cause of pain. In addition to a general analysis of pain symptoms, special tests and studies may be performed:

Computed tomography (CT);
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
Discography (examination to diagnose back pain with the introduction of a contrast agent into the spinal disc);
Myelogram (also done with the injection of a contrast agent into the spinal canal to enhance X-ray imaging. The myelogram helps to see nerve compression caused by herniated discs or fractures);
A bone scan to help identify bone problems due to infection, injury, or other causes;
Ultrasound internal organs.

4. Pain treatment

Depending on the severity of the pain and its causes, pain treatment may vary. Of course, you should not self-medicate, especially if the pain is severe or does not go away. for a long time. Symptomatic treatment of pain may include:

Over-the-counter pain relievers, including muscle relaxants, antispasmodics, and some antidepressants;
Nerve block (blocking a group of nerves with an injection local anesthetic);
Alternative methods of treating pain, such as acupuncture, hirudotherapy, apitherapy and others;
Electrical stimulation;
Physiotherapy;
Surgery pain;
Psychological help.

Some pain medications work better when they are combined with other pain treatments.

Pain is understood as an adaptive reaction of the body. If unpleasant sensations continue for a long time, then they can be characterized as a pathological process.

The function of pain is that it mobilizes the body’s forces to fight any illness. It is accompanied by the appearance of vegetosomatic reactions and an exacerbation of a person’s psycho-emotional states.

Designations

Pain has several definitions. Let's look at them.

Pain is a psychophysical state of a person, which is a reaction to stimuli associated with organic or functional disorders.
This word also means unpleasant feeling that a person experiences with any dysfunction.
Pain also has a physical form. It manifests itself due to malfunctions in the body.

From all of the above, we can draw the following conclusion: pain is, on the one hand, the performance of a protective function, and, on the other, a phenomenon that is of a warning nature, namely, it signals an upcoming disorder in the functioning system of the human body.

What is pain? You should know that this is not only physical discomfort, but also emotional experiences. The psychological state may begin to deteriorate due to the presence of pain in the body. Against this background, problems appear in the functioning of other body systems. For example, disorder gastrointestinal tract, decreased immunity and loss of ability to work. A person’s sleep may also worsen and their appetite may disappear.

Emotional state and pain

In addition to physical manifestations, pain affects the emotional state. A person becomes irritable, apathetic, depressed, aggressive, etc. The patient may develop various mental disorders, sometimes expressed in the desire to die. Strength of spirit is of great importance here. Pain is a test. It happens that a person cannot assess his real condition. He either exaggerates the pain effect, or, conversely, tries to ignore it.

Moral support from relatives or other close people plays an important role in the patient’s condition. It is important how a person feels in society, whether he communicates. It's better if he doesn't withdraw into himself. It is also of great importance to inform the patient about the source of discomfort.

Medical professionals are constantly faced with such feelings in patients, as well as their emotional state. Therefore, the doctor is faced with the task of diagnosing the disease and prescribing a treatment regimen that will have a positive effect on the recovery of the body. The doctor must also see what psychological and emotional experiences the person may be experiencing. The patient needs to be given recommendations that will help him emotionally set himself in the right direction.

What species are known?

Pain is a scientific phenomenon. It has been studied for many centuries.

It is customary to divide pain into physiological and pathological. What does each of them mean?

Physiological pain is the body’s reaction, which is carried out through receptors at the site of the appearance of any illness.
Pathological pain has two manifestations. It can also be reflected in pain receptors, and can also be expressed in nerve fibers. Data painful sensations require longer treatment. Since the psychological state of a person is involved here. The patient may experience depression, anxiety, sadness, and apathy. These conditions affect his communication with other people. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the patient withdraws into himself. This state of a person greatly slows down the healing process. It is important that during treatment the patient has a positive attitude and not a depressive state, which can lead to a deterioration in the person’s condition.

Types

Two types are defined. Namely: acute and chronic pain.

Acute refers to damage to body tissue. Then, as you recover, the pain goes away. This species appears abruptly, passes quickly and has a clear source. This pain occurs due to any injury, infection or surgery. With this type of pain, a person’s heart begins to beat quickly, pallor appears and sleep is disturbed. Acute pain occurs due to tissue damage. It goes away quickly after treatment and healing.
Chronic pain is a condition of the body in which, as a result of tissue damage or the appearance of a tumor, a pain syndrome appears that lasts for a long time. In this regard, the patient’s condition is aggravated, but the signs that a person suffers from acute pain are not here. This type negatively affects a person’s emotional and psychological state. When pain sensations are present in the body for a long time, the sensitivity of the receptors is dulled. Then the pain is not felt as pronounced as at first. Doctors say that such sensations are a consequence of improper treatment of acute pain.

You should know that untreated pain will have a negative impact on your health in the future. emotional state person. As a result, she will burden his family, relationships with loved ones, and so on. Also, the patient will have to undergo repeated therapy in a medical institution, wasting effort and money. In hospitals, doctors will need to re-treat such a patient. Also, chronic pain will not allow a person to work normally.

Classification

There is a certain classification of pain.

Somatic. This pain usually means damage to parts of the body such as skin, muscles, joints and bones. The causes of somatic pain include surgical intervention in the body and bone metastases. This type has constant signs. Typically, the pain is described as gnawing and throbbing.
Visceral pain. This type is associated with damage to internal organs such as inflammation, compression and stretching. The pain is usually described as deep and squeezing. It is extremely difficult to accurately determine its source, although it is constant.
Neuropathic pain appears due to nerve irritation. It is constant, and it is difficult for the patient to determine the place of its origin. Usually this type of pain is described as sharp, burning, cutting, etc. It is believed that this type The pathology is very serious, and the most difficult to cure.

Clinical classification

There are also several clinical categories of pain. These divisions are useful for initial therapy, since their symptoms are then mixed.

Nocigenic pain. There are cutaneous nociceptors. When they are damaged, a signal is transmitted to the nervous system. The result is pain. When internal organs are damaged, muscle spasms or strains occur. Then the pain arises. It can affect certain areas of the body, such as the right shoulder or the right side of the neck if the gallbladder is affected. If discomfort appears in the left hand, this indicates heart disease.
Neurogenic pain. This type is typical for damage to the central nervous system. He has a large number of clinical types such as branch avulsion brachial plexus, incomplete damage to the peripheral nerve and others.
There are many mixed types of pain. They are present in diabetes, hernia and other diseases.
Psychogenic pain. There is an opinion that the patient is formed by pain. Representatives of different ethnic groups have different pain thresholds. Among Europeans it is lower than among Latin Americans. You should know that if a person experiences any pain, it changes his personality. Anxiety may arise. Therefore, the attending physician needs to set the patient in the right mood. In some cases, hypnosis may be used.

Other classification

When the pain does not coincide with the site of injury, there are several types of it:

Projected. For example, if you compress the spinal roots, pain is projected into the areas of the body innervated by them.
Referred pain. It appears if internal organs are damaged, then it is localized in distant parts of the body.

What types of pain do babies have?

In a child, pain is most often associated with the ears, head and tummy. The latter hurts quite often in small children, as it develops digestive system. Colic is common in infancy. Head and ear pain usually associated with colds and infections. If the child is healthy, then a pain in the head may indicate that he is hungry. If a child experiences headaches frequently and is accompanied by vomiting, then it is necessary to contact a pediatrician for examination and diagnosis. It is not recommended to delay visiting a doctor.

Pregnancy and pain

Pain during pregnancy in women is a fairly common occurrence. During the period of bearing a baby, the girl constantly experiences discomfort. She may experience pain in different parts bodies. Many people experience abdominal pain during pregnancy. During this period, a woman experiences hormonal changes. Therefore, she may experience feelings of anxiety and discomfort. If your stomach hurts, this may be caused by problems, the nature of which can be determined by a gynecologist. The presence of pain during pregnancy may be associated with fetal movement. When aching pain occurs in the lower abdomen, you need to consult a doctor.

Pain may also occur due to the digestive process. The fetus can put pressure on organs. This is why pain occurs. In any case, it is better to consult a doctor and describe all the symptoms. It should be remembered that pregnancy poses a risk for both the woman and the unborn child. Therefore, it is important to determine what pain is present in the body and describe its semantics to the attending physician.

Unpleasant sensations in the legs

As a rule, this phenomenon occurs with age. In fact, there can be many reasons for pain in the legs. It is better to find out them as early as possible and start treatment. Lower limb includes bones, joints, muscles. Any ailments of these structures can cause pain in a person.

If a person is healthy, then pain in the legs can occur from heavy physical activity. As a rule, this is associated with playing sports, standing for long periods of time or walking for a long time. As for the fair sex, pain in the legs can accompany a woman during pregnancy. Also, unpleasant sensations may arise as a result of taking contraceptives of a certain group. The most common causes of leg pain are:

Various injuries.
Radiculitis, neuritis.
Inflammatory processes.
Flat feet and arthrosis.
Violation of water-salt metabolism in the body.

Also found vascular pathologies in the legs, which cause pain. The person himself cannot discern what is causing the discomfort. He doesn't even know which specialist he needs to contact. The doctor’s task is to accurately diagnose and prescribe effective scheme treatment.

How is a patient who complains of leg pain diagnosed?

Since there are a great many reasons for the occurrence of unpleasant sensations in the legs, it is necessary to identify the relevant one in each specific case. To do this, a series of examinations should be carried out.

Blood chemistry.
The patient is prescribed general analysis blood.
An assessment of water and electrolyte disturbances is carried out.
X-ray.
The amount of glucose that is present in the blood is assessed.
Microbiological examination.
Examination of the patient with tumor markers if there is a suspicion of cancer.
Serological study.
Bone biopsy if there is a possibility that bone tuberculosis is present in the body.
Ultrasound scanning.
Vascular angiography is done to confirm venous insufficiency.
Tomography.
Rheovasography.
Scintigraphy.
Ankle pressure index.

It should be understood that a person who comes to the clinic with complaints of pain in the legs will not be prescribed all of the above types of examinations. First, the patient will be examined. Then, to confirm or refute this or that diagnosis, certain studies will be prescribed.

Women's pain

A woman may experience pain in the lower abdomen. If they occur during menstruation and are of a pulling nature, then there is no need to worry. This kind of phenomenon is the norm. But if the lower abdomen constantly pulls and there is discharge, you need to consult a doctor. The causes of these symptoms may be more serious than period pain. What can cause pain in the lower abdomen in women? Let's consider the main pathologies and causes of pain:

Ailments of female organs such as the uterus and ovaries.
Infections that are sexually transmitted.
Pain may occur due to the coil.
After surgery in female body Scars may form that cause pain.
Inflammatory processes associated with kidney and bladder diseases.
Pathological processes that may occur during pregnancy.
Some women experience pain during ovulation. This is due to the process of the follicle rupturing and leaving the egg.
Pain can also occur due to the bending of the uterus, resulting in stagnation of blood during menstruation.

In any case, if the pain is constant, then you need to visit a doctor. He will conduct an examination and prescribe the necessary examinations.

Side pain

Quite often people complain of pain in their side. In order to determine why exactly a person is bothered by such unpleasant sensations, it is necessary to accurately determine their source. If pain is present in the right or left hypochondrium, this indicates that the person has stomach diseases, duodenum, liver, pancreas or spleen. Also, pain in the upper lateral part may indicate a rib fracture or osteochondrosis of the spine.

If they occur in the middle part of the lateral regions of the body, this indicates that the large intestine is being damaged.

Pain in the lower sections, as a rule, occurs due to ailments of the final section of the small intestine, ureters and ovarian diseases in women.

What causes a sore throat?

There are several reasons for this phenomenon. A sore throat is present if a person has pharyngitis. What kind of illness is this? Inflammation back wall throats. A severe sore throat may be due to a sore throat or tonsillitis. These ailments are associated with inflammation of the tonsils, which are located on the sides. The disease is often observed in childhood. In addition to the above, the cause of such sensations can be laryngitis. With this disease, a person's voice becomes hoarse and hoarse.

Dental

A toothache can occur unexpectedly and take a person by surprise. The most in a simple way The way to get rid of it is to take a painkiller. But you should remember that taking the pill is a temporary measure. Therefore, you should not postpone your visit to the dentist. The doctor will examine the tooth. Then he will prescribe a photo and carry out the necessary treatment. There is no point in quenching dental pain with painkillers. If you experience any discomfort, you should immediately contact your dentist.

The tooth may begin to hurt various reasons. For example, pulpitis can become a source of pain. It is important not to neglect the tooth, but to treat it in time, since if medical assistance is not provided in time, its condition will worsen and there is a possibility of tooth loss.

Unpleasant sensations in the back

Most often, back pain occurs due to problems with the muscles or spine. If the lower part hurts, then perhaps this is due to ailments of the bone tissue of the spine, ligaments of the spinal discs, spinal cord, muscles and so on. The upper part may be disturbing due to aortic ailments, tumors in the chest and inflammatory processes spine.

The most common cause of back pain is disorders of the muscles and skeleton. As a rule, this occurs after exposure to heavy loads on the back, when the ligaments are sprained or spasmed. Intervertebral hernias are less common. In third place in terms of frequency of diagnosis are inflammatory processes and tumors in the spine. Also, diseases of the internal organs can cause discomfort. The choice of treatment methods for back pain depends on the causes of its occurrence. Drugs are prescribed after examining the patient.

Heart

If a patient complains of pain in the heart, this does not mean that there is a heart pathology in the body. The reason may be completely different. The doctor needs to find out what the essence of the pain is.

If the cause is cardiac in nature, then most often they are associated with coronary heart disease. When a person has this disease, then the coronary vessels are affected. In addition, the cause of pain can be inflammatory processes that occur in the heart.

This organ can also begin to hurt as a result of excessive physical activity. This usually occurs after strenuous training. The point is that what more load on the heart, the more rapidly its need for oxygen increases. If a person is actively involved in sports, he may experience pain that disappears after rest. If the heart pain does not go away long time, then you need to reconsider the loads that the athlete puts on the body. Or it’s worth restructuring the training process plan. Signs that you need to do this include a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and numbness in your left arm.

A little conclusion

Now you know what pain is, we have looked at its main types and types. The article also presents classifications of unpleasant sensations. We hope that the information presented here was interesting and useful to you.

This is the first one described by doctors Ancient Greece and Rome symptoms - signs of inflammatory damage. Pain is something that signals us about some trouble occurring inside the body or about the action of some destructive and irritating factor from the outside.

Pain, according to the well-known Russian physiologist P. Anokhin, is designed to mobilize a variety of functional systems the body to protect it from harmful factors. Pain includes such components as: sensation, somatic (bodily), autonomic and behavioral reactions, consciousness, memory, emotions and motivation. Thus, pain is a unifying integrative function of an integral living organism. IN in this case- human body. For living organisms, even without possessing signs of higher nervous activity may experience pain.

There are facts of changes in electrical potentials in plants, which were recorded when their parts were damaged, as well as the same electrical reactions when researchers caused injury to neighboring plants. Thus, the plants responded to damage caused to them or neighboring plants. Only pain has such a unique equivalent. This is something interesting, one might say, universal property all biological organisms.

Types of pain – physiological (acute) and pathological (chronic).

Pain happens physiological (acute) And pathological (chronic).

Acute pain

According to the figurative expression of academician I.P. Pavlova, is the most important evolutionary acquisition, and is required for protection from the effects of destructive factors. The meaning of physiological pain is to throw away everything that threatens life process, disrupts the body’s balance with the internal and external environment.

Chronic pain

This phenomenon is somewhat more complex, which is formed as a result of long-term pathological processes in the body. These processes can be either congenital or acquired during life. To purchased pathological processes include the following - long-term existence of foci of inflammation that have various reasons, all kinds of neoplasms (benign and malignant), traumatic injuries, surgical interventions, outcomes of inflammatory processes (for example, the formation of adhesions between organs, changes in the properties of the tissues that make up them). Congenital pathological processes include the following - various anomalies in the location of internal organs (for example, the location of the heart outside chest), congenital developmental anomalies (for example, congenital intestinal diverticulum and others). Thus, a long-term source of damage leads to constant and minor damage to the structures of the body, which also constantly creates pain impulses about damage to these structures of the body affected by the chronic pathological process.

Since these injuries are minimal, the pain impulses are quite weak, and the pain becomes constant, chronic and accompanies a person everywhere and almost around the clock. The pain becomes habitual, but does not disappear anywhere and remains a source of long-term irritation. Pain syndrome that exists in a person for six or more months leads to significant changes in the human body. There is a violation of the leading regulatory mechanisms essential functions human body, disorganization of behavior and psyche. The social, family and personal adaptation of this particular individual suffers.

How common is chronic pain?
According to research by the World Health Organization (WHO), every fifth person on the planet suffers from chronic pain caused by all kinds of pathological conditions associated with diseases various organs and body systems. This means that at least 20% of people suffer from chronic pain of varying severity, intensity and duration.

What is pain and how does it occur? The part of the nervous system responsible for transmitting pain sensitivity, substances that cause and maintain pain.

The sensation of pain is complex physiological process, including peripheral and central mechanisms, and having emotional, mental, and often vegetative overtones. The mechanisms of the pain phenomenon have not been fully revealed to date, despite numerous Scientific research, which continue until today. However, let us consider the main stages and mechanisms of pain perception.

Nerve cells that transmit pain signals, types of nerve fibers.

The very first stage of pain perception is the effect on pain receptors ( nociceptors). These pain receptors are located in all internal organs, bones, ligaments, in the skin, on the mucous membranes of various organs in contact with the external environment (for example, on the mucous membrane of the intestines, nose, throat, etc.).

Today, there are two main types of pain receptors: the first are free nerve endings, when irritated, a feeling of dull, diffuse pain occurs, and the second are complex pain receptors, when excited, a feeling of acute and localized pain occurs. That is, the nature of pain directly depends on which pain receptors perceived the irritating effect. Regarding specific agents that can irritate pain receptors, we can say that they include various biologically active substances(BAV), formed in pathological foci (the so-called algogenic substances). These substances include various chemical compounds - these are biogenic amines, and products of inflammation and cell breakdown, and products of local immune reactions. All these substances, completely different in chemical structure, can have an irritating effect on pain receptors of various locations.

Prostaglandins are substances that support the body's inflammatory response.

However, there are a number chemical compounds, participating in biochemical reactions that themselves cannot directly affect pain receptors, but enhance the effects of substances that cause inflammation. This class of substances, for example, includes prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are formed from special substances - phospholipids, which form the basis cell membrane. This process proceeds as follows: a certain pathological agent (for example, enzymes form prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are generally called eicosanoids and play an important role in the development of the inflammatory response. The role of prostaglandins in the formation of pain in endometriosis has been proven, premenstrual syndrome, as well as the syndrome of painful menstruation (algomenorrhea).

So, we looked at the first stage of the formation of pain - the effect on special pain receptors. Let's consider what happens next, how a person feels pain of a certain localization and nature. To understand this process, it is necessary to become familiar with the pathways.

How does the pain signal enter the brain? Pain receptor, peripheral nerve, spinal cord, thalamus - more about them.

The bioelectric pain signal, formed in the pain receptor, is sent through several types of nerve conductors (peripheral nerves), bypassing the intraorgan and intracavitary nerve nodes. spinal nerve ganglia (nodes) located next to the spinal cord. These nerve ganglia accompany every vertebra from the cervical to some lumbar. Thus, a chain of nerve ganglia is formed, running to the right and left along the spinal column. Each nerve ganglion is connected to the corresponding part (segment) of the spinal cord. The further path of the pain impulse from the spinal nerve ganglia is sent to the spinal cord, which is directly connected to the nerve fibers.

In fact, the spinal cord is a heterogeneous structure; it contains white and gray matter (as in the brain). If the spinal cord is examined in a cross section, the gray matter will look like the wings of a butterfly, and the white matter will surround it on all sides, forming the rounded outlines of the boundaries of the spinal cord. So, the back part of these butterfly wings is called the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. They carry nerve impulses to the brain. The front horns, logically, should be located in front of the wings - and this is what happens. It is the anterior horns that conduct nerve impulses from the brain to the peripheral nerves. Also in the spinal cord in its central part there are structures that directly connect nerve cells anterior and posterior horns of the spinal cord - thanks to this, it is possible to form the so-called “meek reflex arc"when some movements occur unconsciously - that is, without the participation of the brain. An example of how a short reflex arc works is when a hand is pulled away from a hot object.

Since the spinal cord has a segmental structure, therefore, each segment of the spinal cord includes nerve conductors from its own area of responsibility. In the presence of an acute stimulus from the cells of the posterior horns of the spinal cord, excitation can abruptly switch to the cells of the anterior horns of the spinal segment, which causes a lightning-fast motor reaction. If you touched a hot object with your hand, you immediately pulled your hand back. At the same time, the pain impulse still reaches the cerebral cortex, and we realize that we have touched a hot object, although our hand has already been reflexively withdrawn. Similar neuro-reflex arcs for individual segments of the spinal cord and sensitive peripheral areas may differ in the construction of levels of participation of the central nervous system.

How does a nerve impulse reach the brain?

Next, from the posterior horns of the spinal cord, the path of pain sensitivity is sent to the overlying parts of the central nervous system along two pathways - along the so-called “old” and “new” spinothalamic (nerve impulse path: spinal cord - thalamus) pathways. The names “old” and “new” are conditional and speak only about the time of appearance of these paths in the historical period of the evolution of the nervous system. We will not, however, go into the intermediate stages of a rather complex neural pathway, we will limit ourselves only to stating the fact that both of these paths of pain sensitivity end in areas of the sensitive cerebral cortex. Both the “old” and “new” spinothalamic pathways pass through the thalamus (a special part of the brain), and the “old” spinothalamic pathway also passes through a complex of structures of the limbic system of the brain. The structures of the limbic system of the brain are largely involved in the formation of emotions and the formation of behavioral reactions.

It is assumed that the first, evolutionarily younger system (the “new” spinothalamic pathway) for conducting pain sensitivity creates a more specific and localized pain, while the second, evolutionarily more ancient (the “old” spinothalamic pathway) serves to conduct impulses that give the sensation of viscous, poorly localized pain. pain. In addition to this, this “old” spinothalamic system provides emotional coloring of the pain sensation, and also participates in the formation of behavioral and motivational components of emotional experiences associated with pain.

Before reaching the sensitive areas of the cerebral cortex, pain impulses pass through the so-called pre-treatment in certain parts of the central nervous system. This is the already mentioned thalamus (visual thalamus), hypothalamus, reticular (reticular) formation, areas of the midbrain and medulla oblongata. The first, and perhaps one of the most important filters on the path of pain sensitivity is the thalamus. All sensations from the external environment, from the receptors of internal organs - everything passes through the thalamus. An unimaginable amount of sensitive and painful impulses passes through this part of the brain every second, day and night. We do not feel the friction of the heart valves, the movement of the abdominal organs, all kinds of articular surfaces about each other - and all this thanks to the thalamus.

If the work of the so-called anti-pain system is disrupted (for example, in the absence of the production of internal, own morphine-like substances, which arose due to the use of narcotic drugs), the above-mentioned barrage of all kinds of pain and other sensitivity simply overwhelms the brain, leading to terrifying in duration, strength and severity emotional and painful sensations. This is the reason, in a somewhat simplified form, for the so-called “withdrawal” when there is a deficiency in the supply of morphine-like substances from the outside against the background of long-term use of narcotic drugs.

How is the pain impulse processed by the brain?

The posterior nuclei of the thalamus provide information about the localization of the source of pain, and its median nuclei provide information about the duration of exposure to the irritating agent. The hypothalamus, as the most important regulatory center of the autonomic nervous system, participates in the formation of the autonomic component of the pain reaction indirectly, through the involvement of centers regulating metabolism, the functioning of the respiratory, cardiovascular and other body systems. The reticular formation coordinates already partially processed information. The role of the reticular formation in the formation of the sensation of pain as a kind of special integrated state of the body, with the inclusion of all kinds of biochemical, vegetative, and somatic components, is especially emphasized. Limbic system the brain provides a negative emotional coloring. The very process of awareness of pain as such, determining the localization of the pain source (meaning a specific area of one’s own body) in conjunction with the most complex and varied reactions to pain impulses certainly occurs with the participation of the cerebral cortex.

The sensory areas of the cerebral cortex are the highest modulators of pain sensitivity and play the role of the so-called cortical analyzer of information about the fact, duration and localization of the pain impulse. It is at the level of the cortex that the integration of information from various types of conductors of pain sensitivity occurs, which means the full development of pain as a multifaceted and diverse sensation. At the end of the last century, it was revealed that each level of the pain system from the receptor apparatus to the central analyzing systems of the brain can have the property of amplification pain impulses. Like a kind of transformer substations on power lines.

We even have to talk about the so-called generators of pathologically enhanced excitation. Thus, from a modern point of view, these generators are considered as the pathophysiological basis of pain syndromes. The mentioned theory of systemic generator mechanisms allows us to explain why, with minor irritation, the pain response can be quite significant in sensation, why, after the cessation of the stimulus, the sensation of pain continues to persist, and also helps to explain the appearance of pain in response to stimulation of skin projection zones (reflexogenic zones) in pathologies of various internal organs.

Chronic pain of any origin leads to increased irritability, decreased performance, loss of interest in life, sleep disturbances, changes in the emotional-volitional sphere, and often leads to the development of hypochondria and depression. All of these consequences themselves intensify the pathological pain reaction. The occurrence of such a situation is interpreted as the formation of closed vicious circles: painful stimulus – psycho-emotional disorders – behavioral and motivational disorders, manifested in the form of social, family and personal maladjustment – pain.

Anti-pain system (antinociceptive) - role in the human body. Pain threshold

Along with the existence of a pain system in the human body ( nociceptive), there is also an anti-pain system ( antinociceptive). What does the anti-pain system do? First of all, each organism has its own genetically programmed threshold for the perception of pain sensitivity. This threshold helps explain why different people react differently to stimuli of the same strength, duration and nature. The concept of sensitivity threshold is a universal property of all receptor systems of the body, including pain. Just like the pain sensitivity system, the anti-pain system has a complex multi-level structure, starting from the level of the spinal cord and ending with the cerebral cortex.

How is the activity of the anti-pain system regulated?

The complex activity of the anti-pain system is ensured by a chain of complex neurochemical and neurophysiological mechanisms. The main role in this system belongs to several classes of chemical substances - brain neuropeptides. These include morphine-like compounds - endogenous opiates(beta-endorphin, dynorphin, various enkephalins). These substances can be considered so-called endogenous analgesics. Specified chemical substances have an inhibitory effect on neurons of the pain system, activate anti-pain neurons, modulate the activity of higher nerve centers of pain sensitivity. The content of these anti-pain substances in the central nervous system decreases with the development of pain syndromes. Apparently, this explains the decrease in the threshold of pain sensitivity up to the appearance of independent pain sensations in the absence of a painful stimulus.

It should also be noted that in the anti-pain system, along with morphine-like opiate endogenous analgesics, well-known brain mediators play an important role, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), as well as hormones and hormone-like substances - vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone), neurotensin. Interestingly, the action of brain mediators is possible both at the level of the spinal cord and the brain. Summarizing the above, we can conclude that turning on the anti-pain system allows us to weaken the flow of pain impulses and reduce pain. If any inaccuracies occur in the operation of this system, any pain can be perceived as intense.

Thus, all pain sensations are regulated by the joint interaction of the nociceptive and antinociceptive systems. Only their coordinated work and subtle interaction allows us to adequately perceive pain and its intensity, depending on the strength and duration of exposure to the irritating factor.

Pain is an unpleasant sensation that is accompanied by emotional experiences caused by real, possible or psychogenic damage to body tissue.

What kind of pain is there?

The significance of pain lies in its signaling and pathogenic functions. This means that when a potential or real threat damage, then it communicates this to the brain with the help of unpleasant (painful) echoes.

Pain sensations are divided into two types:

acute pain, which is characterized by relative short duration and a specific connection with tissue damage;
chronic pain that manifests itself during the period of tissue restoration.

According to the localization of pain there are:

anal;
gynecological, menstrual, childbirth, ovulation;
head, eye and dental;
chest;
gastric;
intestinal;
intercostal;
muscular;
renal;
lumbar;
ischial;
cardiac;
pelvic;
other pains.

Headache

Headache is one of the most common types of pain.

It is divided into the following main groups:

vascular;
muscle tension;
liquorodynamic;
neuralgic;
psychological;
mixed.

Some of the groups have their own subtypes. But even despite this, pain classification according to the nature of its course and pathophysiological mechanism is used to make a diagnosis.

Type and description of headache

Name

Characteristics of pain

Symptoms:

severe girdle pain in the left and right hypochondrium and epigastric region;
vomit;
bowel dysfunction;
general weakness;
dizziness.

Unpleasant sensations in the liver area can be caused by the following diseases:

hepatitis;
cirrhosis;
tumor;
abscess;
steatosis.

What are the pains in the liver? The nature of the pain that occurs under the right hypochondrium is aching and prolonged, they tend to intensify even with slight physical exertion, use junk food(fatty, spicy, fried, sweet), alcohol and cigarettes. Nausea, belching and bad smell from the oral cavity.

At severe forms In addition to the main symptoms of the disease, itching in different areas of the body, spider veins, yellowish coloration of the skin and its peeling are added.

Kidney pain

It is impossible to determine with certainty whether the pain is directly related to the kidneys or whether it is just echoes of other diseases in the back and right side. To do this, you need to identify other symptoms:

the pain is dull and aching;
one-sided pain;
increased body temperature;
urinary disturbance.

Causes and description of kidney pain

Causes	Description	Type of pain
Kidney stones or urolithiasis	The stones lodge in the ureter and obstruct the flow of urine, which then flows back into the kidney, causing it to swell.	Wavy, very strong, can spread not only to the right, but also to the left side, lower abdomen, groin
Kidney infection, pyelonephritis	Swelling of the kidneys occurs due to infection entering them with the blood flow from any source of inflammation: boil, uterus and its appendages, intestines, lungs, bladder	Sharp, aching. Any touch to the area of pain becomes almost impossible
Kidney bleeding	May result from serious trauma or loss of blood supply to the kidneys due to renal artery thromboembolism	Dull aching
Nephroptosis or wandering kidney	The kidney descends and it begins to move around its axis, which leads to kinking of the vessels and poor circulation. Women have a greater predisposition to this disease	Dull pain in the lumbar region
Kidney failure	The kidneys partially or completely stop performing their work due to an imbalance in the water and electrolyte balance in the body.	On different stages pain can be different: from aching to acute

Muscle pain

Myalgia is muscle pain of different localization and origin. What are the symptoms of this ailment?

With myalgia, pain is divided into two types:

aching, pressing and dull pain in the muscles;
general muscle weakness, pain when pressing, nausea, dizziness.

The appearance of a feeling of pain in the muscles is associated with nervous stress, psychological and emotional overload, overwork, physical exertion, exposure to cold and dampness. One or more factors cause spasms of muscle tissue, which, in turn, lead to pinching of nerve endings, which provokes pain.

It is also not uncommon for myalgia to occur against the background of chronic fatigue, which leads to the accumulation of under-oxidized metabolic products in muscle tissue.

A more dangerous scenario is when myalgia itself is a symptom infectious diseases or rheumatism.

A special point to consider is that for many athletes it is one of the criteria for successful physical exercise.

Types of muscle pain after training:

Normal moderate is the most common pain that appears after intense exercise. The source is microtrauma and microtears of muscle fibers and excess in them. This pain is normal and lasts on average about two to three days. Its presence means that you did a good job in the last training session.
Delayed pain that appears in the muscles a couple of days after physical activity. Typically, this condition is typical after a change in the training program: a complete change or an increase in loads. The duration of this pain is from a day to four.
Pain due to injuries - the result of a minor bruise or serious problems(for example, Symptoms: redness of the injury site, swelling, aching pain. This is not the norm; urgent medical measures are required, which consist at a minimum of applying a compress to the injured area.

Pain during contractions

One of the symptoms of approaching labor is contractions. The description of the pain varies from nagging to sharp in the lumbar region and extends to the lower abdomen and thighs.

The peak pain of contractions occurs at the time when the uterus begins to contract even more so that the uterine os opens. The process begins with visceral pain that is difficult to localize. The cervix gradually opens, causing the water to break and the baby's head to descend. It begins to put pressure on the vaginal muscles, cervix and sacral nerve plexus. The nature of the pain changes to intense, piercing and sharp, mostly concentrated in the pelvic area.

Contractions can last from three to twelve hours (in rare cases even longer) and are accompanied by varying degrees of pain. The psychological state of the woman in labor plays a significant role in their feelings - you need to understand that this process brings you closer to meeting your baby.

And finally, most psychologists are inclined to believe that many pains are our excessive suspiciousness. Even if this is the case, no matter what the nature of your pain, it is better to consult a doctor and undergo a preventive examination.